A window environment is system software that manages interactions between a user and an application program executing on a computer through a graphical display portrayed on a screen of a monitor. Typically, the graphical display is arranged to resemble the surface of an electronic "desktop" and each application program running on the computer is represented as one or more electronic paper sheets displayed in rectangular regions of the screen called "windows".
There may be several windows simultaneously present on the desktop with each window displaying information that is generated by a different application program. Each application program presents information to the user through its window by drawing images, graphics or text within the window region. The user, in turn, communicates with the application by "pointing at" standard graphical objects in the window with a pointer that is controlled by a pointing device, such as a mouse, and then selecting the objects, or by typing information into a keyboard associated with the monitor. Selection of the objects may effected by actuating the mouse to move the pointer onto or near the objects and pressing and quickly releasing, i.e., "clicking", a button on the mouse, or by manipulating a cursor via the keyboard.
The graphical objects typically included with each window region are sizing boxes, buttons and scroll bars. These objects represent user interface elements that the user can point at with the pointer to select or manipulate. For example, the user may manipulate these elements to move the windows around on the display screen, and change their sizes and appearances so as to arrange the desktop in a convenient manner. When the elements are selected or manipulated, the underlying application program is informed, via the window environment, that control has been appropriated by the user.
Pop-up and pull-down menus are further examples of user interface elements that list command selections that are generally available to a user. These menus can be activated and commands selected merely by pointing to them and clicking on them with the mouse-controlled pointer.
There are a number of different window environments commercially available which utilize the arrangement described above. These environments include the System 7.RTM. operating system developed by Apple Computer, Inc., the Windows.RTM. graphical user interface developed by the Microsoft Corporation and the OS/2 Presentation Manager.RTM. developed by International Business Machines Corporation. The present invention is applicable to all such environments and is concerned with managing applications using a desktop metaphor for grouping the applications by related functions or tasks.
In general, the desktop metaphor facilitates user efficiency by presenting an environment within which the user can easily manage those applications required to perform work. The window environments described above typically provide only a single desktop that organizes applications into predefined "groups" of applications, each of which are related by function. Each of these applications are represented by a small picture called an "icon". Although the user can arrange, create and delete the icons and their associated groups displayed on the desktop, the associated applications are not running or "opened"; that is, the window environments described above typically do not allow grouping of opened applications.
Applications may be opened by selecting their associated icons from a predefined group and these open applications typically run in "application windows" that are visible on the desktop. When more than one application is opened simultaneously, the desktop may assume a cluttered appearance. In order to free space on the desktop without quitting the applications, the open application windows can be minimized to appear as icons which are generally the same icons as the icons used to represent the unopened application. Although an opened application program is represented by an icon, that icon is no longer part of the predefined group and appears on the desktop along with other icons representing opened applications from other groups.
Therefore, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide grouping of related open applications in an arrangement that visually separates groups of related applications.